Converting a Mossberg 500 into a 590...?

I've found it is usually cheaper to sell the gun you have and just buy what you want.

Can be done. Cheaper to sell and buy a 590.

Justin

1) Leave the 500 a 500. And keep it----you won't get much money out of it to sell it but one cold day you (or a pal) might need a shotgun and a 500 will almost always fiT the bill when 'a shotgun' is needed.

If it were a bowling ball it would be a 14lb Brunshwick Fireball that belonged to Uncle Frank and had solid 'average' finger holes drilled. Would you attempt to have it filled and re-drilled?? No way, but you'd grab it for use when needed and thow it in the closet in between times.

2) 590's (IIRC) have steel recievers, right? Not sure that this would really matter for what you are contemplating.

3) 75 years from now someone will be trying to figure out what you did to the 500 when they are trying to fit some of the 20 million 500 parts and do-dads out there on that shotgun. It's like the guy that got this or that choke tube to 'work' and (several owners later) someone must figure out why they can't get the NOS choke tube they bought to swap out to fit/thread right.

4) I've always wanted a 590 in mil config myself, and I have a 500a plain jane from 1990 w/ a factory synthetic stock and cyl. bore. I've looked at more-than-once and thought about doing almost just what you are contemplating and THEN I've thought----by the time I get donw I'll have spent 100 bucks on a shotgun that cost 200 bucks brand new and a 590 is probably not more than 300 or so new RIGHT NOW.

So please consider that it is near X-mas and Y-O-U deserve a N-E-W 590. And just pile it on a credit card. And then you'll have BOTH, and that will feel good.

Thanks for reading and I'll go away now.....

Happy Holidays! (Mike B, AKA 'N.L.')

That is how I wound up with a 500 and a 590.

No regrets.

Ed

You have the 18.5" 590 barrel, right, AUN? Buy an 835 mag tube and cap (approx $30) and it'll go right onto your 500. The finish won't match, but that's not really a prime concern. A metal safety is approx $12, the metal trigger group is up there but it's not a necessity. I'm not going to comment on converting yours to a diff form but it's common work and it's pretty cheap. You come out far cheaper to use the barrel you already have and buy a new mag tube than to keep the mag tube you have and buy a new barrel.

I do tend to agree with the other guys on converting guns back and forth, though. It works and it's cool to be able to do it, but you'll eventually get tired of it and end up buying a new receiver and building one for a particular purpose. Next thing you notice, they're be seven of them in the closet.

rich

I suggested an 835 mag tube because it's identical to the 590 6 shot but it's about half what a 590 six shot goes for these days. Those parkerized 590 6 shot tubes are few and far between on the auctions and parts supplier sites. The 835 blue is common. You might even get lucky and find a camo'd 835 tube if you keep an eye open. Camo'd parts go even lower. I'm a firm believer in Duracoat. Love the stuff!

One other thing that needs mentioning....the 835 mag tube cap is functionally identical to the 590 cap and interchanges with it freely....but the 590 cap is turned down a bit smaller in the middle to allow it to mount a bayonet. Just looked it up. No lug on a 5+1 barrel. Skip that. Buy the 835 cap. It's cheaper for some reason.

rich

Can be done. Cheaper to sell and buy a 590.

Click to expand...

+1.

Why do you want to convert it? No flame intended, just curious.